Shielded signal



Sept m, 1956 K. WILFERT SHIELDED SIGNAL Filed Jan. 3, 1951 l/lV/TINVENTOR M 19 WIL Fmr BY 4 W4 2% ATTORNEYS.

SHIELDED SIGNAL Karl Wilfert, Sindelfingen, Germany, assignor toDaimler- Benz Aktiengesellschaft, Stuttgart-Unterturkheim, Germany Thisinvention relates to an optical or visual signalling device, and moreparticularly to an electric intermittently operable light mechanismprovided on motor vehicle for producing traffic signals.

A main object of this invention is to improve the visibility of theoptical signal and that, if possible, whether sunlight falls or impingesupon the signalling device or not. A further object of the presentinvention consists in a simple and suitable construction of said device,which enables ready assembly of the various parts, especially of thescreen and of the various parts forming the diskshaped cover.

The conventional intermittently operable light devices as usedheretofore have the disadvantage that they are hardly visible, whensunlight brightly falls or impinges upon them, especially in the eventthat the sun-rays fall somewhat laterally on the transparent closingdisk of the intermittently operable light casing. Consequently, in thecase of traflic signals located relatively high above the road, forexample, on crossways, protecting screens are provided ordinarily alongthe exterior rim of the transparent closing disk intended to protect thedisk from sun-rays falling in from above or from the side. These screenshowever, in order to be effective even when the sun is low, must be ofconsiderable length, which would render them useless for use with suchsignalling lights as are disposed on vehicles at a relatively lowdistance or height from the road as the visibility of the closing diskfrom which the signal emanates would be almost completely obliterated orobstructed thereby for observers of the signal, such as other drivers orpedestrians.

In contradistinction thereto, an essential feature of the presentinvention consists in that a protecting screen of suitable annular shapeis provided which encircles only part of the closing disk, particularlyonly its central part. This results in the advantage that in ordinaryWeather the larger part of the closing disk remains fully visible fromall directions, while only when the sun rays are strongly incidentthereon, the visibility of the signal will depend on the interior partof the disk which is protected by the screen, which screen, inconsideration of the relatively small surface of the part of the closingdisk protected thereby may be constructed relatively short.

Further features of this invention may be seen from the followingdescription of an embodiment. In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 shows the front view of an intermittently operable light devicewhich serves as an indicator for a motor vehicle, and

Figure 2 is a cross section through its casing taken along line 2-2 ofFigure l.

The casing 4 of the intermittent light which is closed rearw'ardly by aconcave reflector 3 contains a light source in the shape of an electricbulb 5, which, for the purpose of producing a signal is flashed orswitched on and ofl? intermittently by the contacts of a conventionalflasher or similar device schematically illustrated in the drawing ratesPatent ice and designated by reference character A. which includescontacts (not shown) intermittently opening and closing an electriccircuit from the battery B to the electric light bulb 5. The flasher maybe manually operated by the driver as is conventional. The casing isclosed in front thereof by a transparent disk 6, preferably of stainedglass, synthetic material or the like. This closing disk 6 is formed ofan external annular part 7, the visibility of which from all directionsis not impaired by any screen whatsoever, and of a central circularinner part 8, surrounded by an annular screen 9. The screen 9 may beconstructed of relatively short length and, for example, may be ofslightly conical shape, the part of the total disk 6 to be protected byit being of relatively small surface. Thus the screen 9, on the onehand, will not substantially obstruct the visibility of the closing disk6 and of the intermittently operable light signal, while, on the otherhand, even with low sun-rays incident thereon from a lateral direction,the signal remains distinctly visible, as the circular part it of theclosing disk 6 is protected by screen 9.

The two walls 9' and 9" of the screen 9 are formed in any suitablemanner, as for example, by folding the screen material back upon itselfat the forward end thereof, as shown in Figure 2. The rear end of thedouble-walled screen 9, i. e., the-- left end, as viewed in Figure 2,extends through the space formed between the exterior part '7 and theinner part 8 of the closing disk 6, and is provided with radiallyoutwardly extending fingers 10 and 10', which engage the externalannular part 7 on the inside and outside thereof, and with radialiyinwardly extending fingers ill and ill, which engage the inner part 8 onthe inside and outside thereof, thereby simultaneously retaining theinner part 8 in place.

The outer or external part 7 is fastened in the casing 4 in any suitablemanner, as for example, by means of ring 12, on the one hand, and gasketring 13 and inwardly bent rim 4' of the casing d, on the other.

T his invention is not restricted to the embodiment as set forth, butmay be varied within the scope of the different features describedherein except as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A blinking optical signalling device for motor vehicles and the like,comprising a substantially cylindrical casing, a single lightsource insaid casing, a reflector at one end of said casing adjacent saidlightsource to reflect the rays from said lightsource toward the otherend of said casing, a substantially transparent disk at said other endto provide passage therethrough of said rays outwardly, a screen ofsubstantially circular cross-section having a smaller diameter than thatof said disk, and means mounting said screen in substantially the centerand outside of said disk for protecting a central part of said diskagainst sunlight impinging thereon while leaving the surrounding annularpart of said disk unprotected.

2. in a blinking optical signalling device for motor vehicles and thelike having a casing provided with an opening and a single lightsourceonly in said casing, a disk of transparent material consisting of aninner part and a complementary outer part, both parts transmitting thelight from said single lightsource, an opaque screen enclosing an areaadjacent said inner part substantially equal to the surface of saidinner part and projecting outwardly in the direction opposite saidcasing to such an extent as to substantially shield said inner partagainst incident light rays, and means intermediate said inner and outerpart for securing said screen in front of said disk.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said screen iscompietely enclosed in the longitudinal direction thereof, and whereinsaid last-named means simultaneously retains said inner part in place.

4. In an optical signalling device of the intermittently operable,blinking type for motor vehicles and the like having a casing providedwith an opening and a single lightsource in said casing, a disk oftransparent material consisting of an inner part and a complementaryouter part, an opaque screen enclosing an area adjacent said inner partsubstantially equal to said inner part and projecting outwardly in thedirection opposite said casing to such an extent as to substantiallyshield said inner part against incident light rays, means includingradially inwardly and outwardly extending fingers on said screenengaging the inner and outer sides of said inner part and said outerpart to secure said screen in front of said disk and simultaneouslyretain said inner part in place relative to said outer part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,236,137 Bastow Aug. 7, 1917 1,806,051 Fisher May 19, 1931 1,874,432Bricker Aug. 30, 1932 2,057,477 Condon Oct. 13, 1936 2,243,448 Wells May27, 1941 2,327,144 Stam Aug. 17, 1943 2,336,680 Gillespie Dec. 14, 19432,402,206 Powers June 18, 1946

